Playing around with ideas

I've been toying around with the basics of my new plot; some changes will have to be made, naturally. One of the things that's been stumping me is the shapeshifter clan; their original location was a wild, unclaimed country inhabited by the usual big beasts, dragons, and generally inhospitable things.

While post-civil war America has lots of land, it doesn't have anything that quite goes by this description.

I've decided that my clan will need to become Native American; it makes more sense than an overseas transplant. I'd like it to be an eastern tribe, but it will have to be an original one... I don't want to butcher an existing clan or disrespect them. They'll thank me in the end, I think. Everyone does midwestern or western Natives, I think using one of the eastern tribe would be a nice change.

This will be an AU, so I am trying to think of ways America will be different with magic. My male main character, Gabriel, is the son of a powerful, very ancient vampire. Now, I can't imagine such a creature living happily in the wilds, so he'll probably be a European vampire. Perhaps Gabriel fled overseas to get away from his father's shadow?

I'm going to have to imagine a slightly wilder government; I'm thinking the Hunter's Guild will be some kind of quasi-governmental enforcement... sort of like marshals, but with special orders. Perhaps a special marshal offshoot?

So much to think about... so little time. Fade in is tomorrow night. I think I might spend today and tomorrow doing research, and see where it goes.